Wolf
by kiboeme
Summary: Link was sent on a search for the Twilight Realm after readjusting to life in Hyrule didn't work. He finally found another entrance, the Dark Mirror, but with it came a whole slew of troubles. Not the least of which was being trapped in his wolf form and held prisoner by a shadowy version of himself. K, One-shot, needs revision.


_**AN: What even are midnight rambles? Bad, that's what they are.**_

_**This was written at 12:00am as a break from an essay. Not sure how much I myself enjoy it, but the concept is neat so I will likely return to it later and revise. For now, enjoy it as it is. Critique is highly appreciated for this as I haven't a clue what to do with it myself.**_

His hand felt as if it were on fire, his skin prickled, his new sharp teeth cut into his lips and gums as his jaw expanded, and his head clouded with the pain of being ripped apart and put back together crammed into a single instant of agony. He had grown used to this feeling during his journey and it had barely fazed him at one point, but it had been months since then and the pain was as stunning as the first time it had ever happened. Fortunately he remained conscious for a moment after the transformation this time, though he was far too sore and disoriented to do anything with his consciousness. His vision swam, causing the world to transform into a viscous pool of dark, hazy colors, but he swore he saw a human shape get up from behind him and walk away in front. Link felt a cool tingle run down his spine as his vision faded away.

Later he had discovered what happened: the mirror he had entered through was not the same as the Mirror of Twilight, though they had been crafted by the same people and served much the same purpose. This mirror was more filled with shadows, and was known as the Dark Mirror, and the shadowy face he had seen within it was not his own, but rather a distorted dark copy of himself that the glass had spawned. That was what had drug him into the Twilight Realm, right on the border between it and the Dark World. That Shadow Link was also the one who held him captive now.

The shadow had chained Link by the neck to a pillar outside of what would become his home. Link had no idea who the old occupants were, but apparently Shadow Link had chased them out and claimed the manor for his own. He left Link outside for days without any form of sustenance. Link soon became accustomed to sleeping when the crimson Twilight turned more to purple and navy blue, then waking up when streaks of gold began to light the sky as one of the Sols was lit again. He was not hungry or thirsty for some time, for even though he'd grown more used to regular meals he still had a small stomach and a strong body. He lay next to the pillar with his head on his paws, thinking of Midna.

Midna was why Link had been searching for another entrance to the Twilight Realm in the first place. After she had abandoned Link and Zelda in Hyrule, he had not been able to return to a normal life in Ordon. Zelda offered him a position in Hyrule's army, but even there he was not comfortable. He wasn't much of a team player. Eventually the princess had noticed his restlessness and sent him to seek another way to access the parallel world. Link had finally found it deep in the Snowpeak Mountains by way of the Dark Mirror.

Now here he was, trapped because of his own hastiness, and the Shadow let him sink deeper and deeper into his own regret and weakness. After a little more than a month, the Shadow came to fetch him. He unchained Link from the pole but left the black metal around his neck. Like a collar. Link could barely move, but he stood and tried to shake the thing off. All the shadow did was tighten the chain so he could feel it even through his thick, matted fur. Link let the shadow drag him inside the stolen home, and before long he found himself thrown in a bath and covered in sweet-smelling foam. Pale Twili hands massaged it into his fur and combed out all the tangled strands. They pulled him out and trimmed around his face. Fortunately for Link, they left his earrings in. Those had been the only pieces of humanity he had during his beast time in the Twilight War, and they were all he had of his humanity now. Without the Master Sword or Midna around, he was completely unable to control his transformation into his beast form. He was stuck in the shape of a wolf, and it wasn't long before the Shadow Link made the wolf into his prized pet.

Link had his own smaller bed inside the Shadow's rooms, and since the dark creature was once a part of him they had the same taste in everything. Though it wasn't as if he tried to do anything to appeal to Link. Despite seeming rather attached to his little 'pet', the Shadow thought of Link as an animal and treated him as such. When he had tried to teach Link to follow commands like a dog and Link had refused, the Shadow kicked him several times and then chained him to the pole again when Link tried fighting back. Once he had made the Shadow truly angry, and the creature's eyes turned from black to glowing crimson. He had launched a sphere of Twili magic at Link that he knew would kill him if he touched it. Fortunately, he had managed to dodge the thing. So while Link hated to act like a dog beneath whatever the Shadow was, he had to stay alive to find Midna. And that meant acting as if he were a mindless animal.

And right now, acting like a mindless animal meant letting one of the Shadow's Twili servants bathe him.

It felt nice, he would not lie. The Twili's hands dug deep into his fur and massaged almost every inch of his body, covering him in a thick white lather. It probably didn't smell like anything to a normal nose, but Link could pick up a pleasant, simple scent he associated with clean.

After the Twili had thoroughly shampooed the wolf, it showered him with warm water. That felt nice too. Link held still so that he could be dried off and then brushed, but then the Twili did something unexpected. It started rubbing some sort of oil into his fur, slicking down the fluffy hairs into a sleek grey pelt. Then it moved down to his paws and started clipping his claws. It was all Link could do not to jerk away from it in confusion and some alarm. What was the meaning of this? The final straw came when the Twili tried to shove a collar on his neck.

Link growled and snapped at it, and the cowardly thing tossed up its hands and ran. The wolf paced in the small tub room, chuffing every now and again as he tried to puzzle through it. What was the fuss about? It didn't take long for him to find out.

The Shadow came in a few minutes after the Twili ran out. His face was a mask of disapproval and concern as he crouched beside Link and ran his hand along the wolf's back. Link's fur prickled.

"Did she hurt you, my pet?" the Shadow crooned. Link growled softly but silenced when he saw the look on the Shadow's dark face. "Why aren't you happy then? Oh, I see. You're confused, aren't you?" The patronizing tone it took with Link made him want to vomit. It knew damn well he wasn't an animal, yet insisted on talking to him like that. The Shadow chuckled and stood.

"Ah. You see, wolf, I have been summoned. Someone reported my troublemaking to someone a bit… higher up, and I'm to go there today to make my defense. I know I'm supposed to be dreading it, but in truth I'm quite excited. After all, it isn't every day that one gets an audience with the Twilight Princess."

Link's head jerked up and his gaze shot toward the Shadow. He was talking about Midna. The Shadow laughed aloud.

"Oh, you should see the look in your eyes! You are excited! You get to come with me to see her. She will set you free, right?" His face darkened before it erupted into laughter. "Come, let's go _dog_." And then without a single other word, he stood and left the room. He left the door swinging.

He followed him out, padding behind the Shadow all the way down to the front door. The Shadow opened it. Link's eyes drifted to the side as his nose instinctually began sniffing. He had not been allowed outside in weeks, and even the scents of the outdoors screamed freedom inside his head. In fact, he was about to start running when the Shadow snapped his fingers and formed a chain of shadow wrapped around Link's throat. It would hurt if he tried to jerk against it, and Link was forced to walk by the Shadow's side across the veranda and into a hovering coach.

They were traveling for some time, but Link had never been happier than when the coach door was opened to reveal an incredibly familiar sight. The Twilight Palace. His heart jumped and he practically bounded out of the carriage. The Shadow followed at a more leisurely pace, eyeing the courtyard with a possessive ease.

"Are you ready, Wolf?" the Shadow smirked. Link bobbed his head enthusiastically, which produced another chuckle from the Shadow. "Lead the way, then. We go to the throne room."

Link guided the Shadow deep into the palace, walking further and further in until they approached the throne room. The Shadow pushed open the door and walked inside, Link straining at the dark chain despite the way it singed his fur. Midna—tall, beautiful, warm, and proud Midna—sat on the throne. She looked very much like herself, leaning over and resting her cheek on the fist of a hand. She straightened up a little bit when they entered, but to Link's dismay her eyes skated right over him. They landed on the Shadow.

"L-Link?"


End file.
